An interesting article and thank you so much for posting it.
I have had some of my work stolen before from Flickr and the person put it on Facebook, removed my copyright and stuck their own name on it. I filled out a copyright form on Facebook and all they did was remove my photo. The person who had informed me had had 26 photos stolen and put on the same page. Even when you disable downloading there are ways and means of stealing your work.
In the USA Instagram and Facebook promised not to take over the intellectual property rights of people posting photos on their sites after a massive outcry when a new TOS was written that seemed to produce a loop hole for anyone to seize and use your photos for any reason seemed to open up. Unfortunately anything produced and posted on the web isn't safe, I am developing a deck of Tarot Cards have made them a size too small to get adequate prints and water marked them. The bottom line is one has to catch someone stealing your stuff and then track them down and litigate--if they aren't in your country I think your out of luck. I have had problems with videos I've posted when the websites bots have mistaken music used in them as copyrighted materials. I have royalty free music that comes with my software packages that's supposed to be okay to use for whatever purpose one wants--but it can be aggravating when you are accused of plagiarism and have to file an appeal, which they may or may not accept.
Crap like this is why I upload pictures on FB at 400 x 600 pixels. I cringe a bit uploading them here at 800 x 1200 and worry about that since my better pictures go on this website.
@paulie I don't know how you do it on Facebook as I do very little there after I was told Facebook has ownership of your photos but I disabled it in Flickr, even with low resolution the solution is not sorted.
As soon as you put your images on the web many people see them as fair game (some are truly ignorant on copyright laws), I do use a small watermark on business shots...not a fail safe but maybe a deterrent. Like having locks on your doors and windows...it may deter a thief but if they really want to get in the will.
A large part of photography is putting your work out there, to find potential clients or to sell or just to showcase...when you do you run that risk.
Tineye http://www.tineye.com/ is one site you can enter your image and find out if it is used else were...but even that is hit and miss.
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I have had some of my work stolen before from Flickr and the person put it on Facebook, removed my copyright and stuck their own name on it. I filled out a copyright form on Facebook and all they did was remove my photo. The person who had informed me had had 26 photos stolen and put on the same page. Even when you disable downloading there are ways and means of stealing your work.
A large part of photography is putting your work out there, to find potential clients or to sell or just to showcase...when you do you run that risk.
Tineye http://www.tineye.com/ is one site you can enter your image and find out if it is used else were...but even that is hit and miss.